Hebe plant named ‘HM1803002’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Hebe plant named ‘HM1803002’ that is characterized by its consistently healthy plants that have a low susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, its compact plant habit, its leaves that are small in size, its flowers that are self-cleaning, and its flowers that are deep red-purple in color.

Botanical classification: Hebe hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘HM1803002’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rights application filed on Sep. 15, 2020, application No. 2020/2160. The Applicant received the information for the Plant breeders' rights application directly from the Inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hebe, botanically of hybrid origin, known as Hebe ‘HM1803002’, and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘HM1803002’. ‘HM1803002’ is an evergreen shrub grown for use as a container plant and as a landscape shrub.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Wezep, The Netherlands. The goal of the breeding program is to select new cultivars of Hebe with improved plant health, compact plant habits, small leaves, abundant flowering, and self-cleaning flowers. The new cultivar arose from a cross made in September of 2017 between an unnamed and unpatented proprietary plants from the Inventor's breeding program; reference no. HM17-305 as the female parent and ref no. PM17-303 as the male parent. The Inventor selected ‘HM1803002’ in September of 2018 as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in September 2018 by the Inventor in Wezep, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings and tissue culture using meristematic tissue has determined the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar, which in combination distinguish ‘HM1803002’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hebe.

-   -   1. ‘HM1803002’ exhibits consistently healthy plants that have a         low susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew.     -   2. ‘HM1803002’ exhibits a compact plant habit.     -   3. ‘HM1803002’ exhibits leaves that are small in size.     -   4. ‘HM1803002’ exhibits flowers that are self-cleaning.     -   5. ‘HM1803002’ exhibits flowers that are deep red-purple in         color.

The female parent of ‘HM1803002’ differs from ‘HM1803002’ in having a less compact plant habit, flowers that are less intense in color, leaves that are rounder in shape and darker green in color. The male parent of ‘HM1803002’ differs from ‘HM1803002’ in having more susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, a less compact plant habit, flowers that are less intense in color, and a longer flowering period. ‘HM1803002’ can be most closely compared to the cultivars ‘Diana’ and ‘Wiri Charm’ (both un-patented). ‘Diana’ and ‘Wiri Charm’ are both similar to ‘HM1803002’ in foliage color and in having a floriferous blooming habit. ‘Diana’ differs from ‘HM1803002’ in having a less compact plant shape, leaves that are rounder in shape, a later flowering season, and flowers that are violet-purple in color. ‘Wiri Charm’ differs from ‘HM1803002’ in having a less compact plant shape, leaves that are rounder in shape, a later flowering season, and flowers that are lighter and more purple in color.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosures and/or sales that fall within a one-year grace period to the filing date. Disclosures include website listings by All-Blooms, Shop.vida-verde, and floraxchange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hebe. The photographs were taken of a 7-month-old plant of ‘FSK17S28’ as grown outdoors in a 12-cm container in Wezep, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of ‘HM1803002’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences and foliage of ‘HM1803002’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Hebe.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 7-month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 12-cm containers in Wezep, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—An average of 5 weeks from summer into             autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.         -   Plant habit.—Compact.         -   Height and spread.—Average of 13.9 cm in height (soil level             to top of foliar plane), 14.9 cm (soil level to top of             floral plane) and 16.2 cm in spread as a 7-month-old plant,             an average of 60 cm in height and spread in the landscape.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zone 8.         -   Diseases and pests.—Low susceptibility to leaf spot disease             (Septoria veronicae) and downy mildew (Perenospora ssp.), no             susceptibility or resistance to pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous to slightly fleshy.         -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings and tissue culture.         -   Root development.—3 to 4 weeks to initiate roots and 10             weeks to produce a young rooted plant.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Branch description:     -   -   Branch size.—Main branches; an average of 4.2 cm in length             and 2 mm in width, lateral branches; an average of 10 cm in             length and 2 mm in diameter.         -   Branch shape.—Round.         -   Branch color.—Young; 197A, internodes; 200B, lower side             200D, mature; 200B to 200C, lower side 146C to 146D.         -   Branch surface.—Slightly glossy, moderately to densely             covered with very short glandular hairs; 0.1 mm in length,             matches surface color.         -   Branch strength.—Strong.         -   Internode length.—Average of 1.6 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Held in an average angle of 42.5° to             vertical, average of 3 primary branches, 2 to 3 secondary             branches. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Obovate, flat to very slightly carinate.         -   Leaf division.—Single.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse to very shallow retuse.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate; often with 3 main veins visible,             upper surface; 147B, lower surface; 147A.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, densely covered with very short             glandular hairs; 0.1 mm in length, color matches surface             color.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces smooth, glabrous, non-rugose,             moderately glossy.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 143A, young lower surface;             139C, mature upper surface; NN137A, mature lower surface;             146B.         -   Leaf number.—Average of 14 per lateral branch 10 cm in             length.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 2.8 cm in length and 1.4 cm in             width. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Raceme.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 5.1 cm in height and 2.3 cm             in width.         -   Inflorescence lastingness.—About 7 days, self-cleaning.         -   Flower shape.—Campanulate.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower quantity.—Average 60 florets per inflorescence, 400             flowers per plant, 2,000 flowers and flower buds per plant.         -   Flower arrangement.—Axillary racemes.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward.         -   Flower size.—Average of 7 mm in height, 5 mm in diameter, 1             cm in depth, throat diameter 2 mm, flower tube 3 mm in             length, flower tube 2.25 mm in diameter.         -   Peduncles.—Strong strength, 4.8 cm in length and about 1.75             mm in diameter, 147C, flushed with N199A in color, held at             about a 35° angle to lateral branch, surface is very             slightly glossy and densely covered with very short             glandular hairs an average of 0.1 mm in length, matches             surface color.         -   Pedicels.—Moderately strong strength, average of 1.5 mm in             length and 0.5 mm in diameter, held at about a 50° angle to             peduncle, 146B to 146C in color, surface is very matte and             densely covered with very short glandular hairs; an average             of 0.1 mm in length, color matches surface color.         -   Flower buds.—Lanceolate to narrow elliptic, 4 mm in length             and 1.25 mm in diameter, color; 60B, fading towards the             calyx 77A, immature calyx 138A to 138B, surface is matte,             smooth and glabrous.         -   Calyx.—Rotate-shaped, average of 1.5 mm in length, 2 mm in             diameter.         -   Sepals.—4, 1 whorl, 1.5 mm in length, 1 mm in width, ovate             in shape, entire margins, arrangement; rotate, acute tip,             base cuneate and fused, surfaces glabrous, matte, slightly             glossy, color: when opening upper surface; 138A to 138B,             when opening lower side; 138A, when fully open upper and             lower surface 138A.         -   Petals.—Average 4, 1 whorl, oblong in shape, lower and             lateral petals moderately reflexed, lower 42.5% of petals             fused, 4 mm in length and 2.5 mm in width, entire and very             slightly concave margins, apex obtuse, upper and lower             surface is smooth and glabrous, non-rugose, both surfaces             very slightly glossy, color: upper surface when opening;             59D, lower surface when opening; 60D, upper surface when             fully open; a blend of 53D and 59D, lower surface when fully             open; 59D.         -   Floral bracts.—A single bract is placed below each             individual flower, very short oblong in shape, moderately             concave, tip bluntly acute, cuneate base, 1.5 mm in length,             0.5 mm in width, both surfaces glabrous and 146D in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 9 mm in length, stigma; club-shaped, 5             mm in length, 182B in color, style; 8.5 mm in length and 61A             in color, ovary; 145B in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens: 2, anthers; oblong in shape, 0.75 mm in             length, 0.5 mm in width and 185D in color, filaments; 4 mm             in length, color; 64D, pollen; none observed.         -   Fruit and seed.—None observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hebe plant named ‘HM1803002’ as herein illustrated and described. 